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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. club — for dancing
  5. wake — a trail
  6. craft — a skill
  7. club — a group
  8. club — for golf
  9. craft — boats
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. content — the amount
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. season — of the year
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. season — in sport
  19. lie — to recline
  20. content — happy
  21. kid — child
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. kid — to tease

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com